I now have 8 modules: five of them are utility modules (mult, LFO, function generator, Disting, amplifier/attenuator) and three of them are a single synth voice (oscillator, VCA, filter).

I "need" two more utility modules and then my skiff will be in very good shape, indeed -- a Turing Machine and a Quantizer. For the Quantizer, I may either get a stand alone unit or splash on a second Disting; not decided yet, and am not in a hurry so I have the luxury of saving up whilst I look over the options. For the Turing Machine, I will start with something very simple like the 2hp Turing module. With a single Turing Machine, Disting, and the Function along with the three synth voices I have available (Moog, Arturia, Studio Electronics) I will definitely have enough to get started with especially when you start working with delay and reverb, layered polysynths, and the five step sequencers I have.

I have no idea how much of this project is going to be generative/random but I would like to at least have the option available.

Update: Okay, so whilst I haven't fully quaffed of the eurorack Kool-Aid, I've certainly done more than take a sip.

I am just about out of room on the Make Noise skiff and it sounds pretty awesome, I must say. (Not that I can necessarily do awesome things with it just yet, but the basic sounds it makes are certainly awesome.) It's possible to get an entire universe of sounds with just the eurorack skiff, the Mother-32, and some reverb/delay. Trippy stuff!

The skiff has evolved into more of a self-generative synth than a complex waveform sound machine -- the emphasis being more on function generation, logic (programming logic, not logic on my part lol) and randomness.

Perhaps the two most used and most enjoyable modules in the skiff are the Make Noise Function and Mutable Instruments Branches. Function is (essentially) an self-oscillating envelope generator that outputs a trigger when it reaches End of Rise or End of Cycle simultaneous with a positive and negative version of the envelope. So a single Function can affect multiple modules or multiple parameters on s single module in and of itself.

Branches is a wonderful random digital signal switch; it takes a trigger in and randomly outputs it to one of four outputs. The fun starts when you feed it back into itself (not unlike the Function) to create complex and/or/xor logic functions.

All in all, great fun. I am learning a huge amount about old school (electromechanical) programming, logic circuits, and electricity/psycho acoustics in general.

Martin Walker wrote:Excellent! We'll expect at least a few audio demos in due course, to hear how you're getting on then Ben

I feel like I am still finding my 'voice' in terms of how I am going to use the modular to make actual music ... but as my other stuff (prog rock) has a lot of soundtrack/soundscape elements, this seems almost ready-made to handle those duties. If all goes to plan, the current piece I am working on as a live performative patch will actually see light of day and I will gladly post links!

Thanks to a video by Ned Rush, I was led down a very interesting rabbit hole of exploration last night. I don’t know what to call this besides rhythmic quantization: using a function generator to create wave shapes sampled by a sample and hold. The result is a really cool rhythmic sequence of notes.

Another month gone by and my modular universe expands just a bit more. Finally got a ‘proper’ set of VCAs in the form of a Make Noise Dynamix; it’s a stellar VCA/LPG/envelope follower/mixer. This opened up my function generator to do more actual functions.

The only other addition was a Pluck by 2hp. It’s a single Karplus-Strong voice and I absolutely love it!

Now I actually feel like a definite ‘sound’ is emerging from this ragtag collection of faceplates and circuit boards. The challenge still remains to make some music with it that I feel is worthy of an actual release. It’s close, I have a few pieces of scrap ... now to sew it together into a cloak of electronical fabulousness!

Ben Asaro wrote:The only other addition was a Pluck by 2hp. It’s a single Karplus-Strong voice and I absolutely love it!

Now I actually feel like a definite ‘sound’ is emerging from this ragtag collection of faceplates and circuit boards. The challenge still remains to make some music with it that I feel is worthy of an actual release. It’s close, I have a few pieces of scrap ... now to sew it together into a cloak of electronical fabulousness!

Looking forward to hearing what you come up with Ben, and particularly how this Karplus-Strong module contributes to the whole affair